Cook County Alcohol Tax Hike Approved In Monday Vote (VIDEO)

A proposal increasing alcohol taxes by 50 percent in Cook County was approved Monday by the county board, even as some feared the additional taxes could hold dire consequences for many employers in the hospitality industry.

The tax hike, introduced last week by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, was lauded by its proponents for creating more revenue for the cash-strapped county, while also potentially reducing consumption and curtailing alcohol-related health problems. Preckwinkle announced the plan alongside a number of the city's medical community leaders.

(Scroll down to watch Preckwinkle discuss the aims of the alcohol tax.)

As the Chicago Sun-Times points out, the proposal marks the fourth such tax hike on alcohol since 2005. Chicago already has the highest taxes on hard liquor in the country. The plan is anticipated to generate some $11 million in new revenue for Cook County.

The measure increases the tax on a 24-pack of beer 6 cents and on a 750 ml vodka bottle by about 50 cents. And while those rates may sound modest, some owners of bars, restaurants and other businesses in the hospitality industry contended that the increases would impact their bottom line in a way that could lead to fewer jobs.

Bobby McGuire, a bar owner, told the Sun-Times the measure "targets the hospitality industry and makes it difficult for independent operators to keep the doors open."